Focus on Stamping Techniques Blog Hop

Welcome to the Close to My Heart Focus on Stamping Techniques Blog Hop.  This hop I am following {Melissa Robinson's Blog.}   We have 18 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in our Close to My Heart Focus on Stamping Techniques Blog Hop.   If you lose your place while traveling through our blog hop, the complete list of participants can be found here.    Thank you for hopping through our Blog Hop.

I have used a couple of different stamping techniques to make a one layer Christmas Card.  I wanted to feature the emboss resist technique.

I measured the stamp I wanted to use for my card and my stamp measured 3 inches tall.  The height of my card is 5.5", so I decided to mask off 1 inch on the top and the bottom of the card using Eclipse tape.  This is easy to do using the grid on my Close to My Heart Versamat.  

I loaded up the big Pine Tree from the Always Grateful Stamp Set (C1559) with Versamark Watermark Ink.  I stamped the tree at different heights, inking up the stamp each time with the Versamark ink.

Then I sprinkled on our Clear Detail Embossing Powder and heat embossed the trees.

I took a piece of Eclipse Tape and punched a 1.5" circle out and placed it at the top right corner.

Then I sponged on Champagne Ink followed by Canary Ink.  Once I sponged on my moon, I removed the Eclipse tape.

I placed the circle I punched out from the Eclipse tape over my moon to "protect" it from the other ink and sponged on Glacier ink and then Crystal Blue Ink.  To get a more authentic look when you are sponging backgrounds, you should always use at least 3 different colors.

Now I sponge on Sapphire ink and the trees I stamped and embossed appear.  When I use the sponging technique, I start the sponging on the scrap paper that is beneath my artwork and then, using a circular motion, move onto the artwork.  That way the color is less splotchy.  I add more ink until I am happy with the look.  To frame my artwork, the outsides are darker.

Now I pick up my tree stamp and ink it up with New England Ivy ink.  I add some black ink to the stamp using a sponge and pouncing it onto the stamp.  Then I stamp the tree onto my card among the white emboss resist trees.

What do you think?  It is taking shape.

I take a paper towel and carefully wipe off the ink on the white emboss resist trees.

And here is the part I like best.  I add Santa and his reindeer from the Believe in Christmas (D1666) over my moon with Black Archival ink.

Off comes my masks.

A cute sentiment.

And here is my card!  A one layer Christmas Card with a lot of dimension.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

By the way, I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, {Catherine Nowak's Blog.}

You can purchase any of the supplies listed below at www.melindaeveritt.ctmh.com.  

Supplies Used

Cashmere Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	Canary Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	Glacier Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	Crystal Blue Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Sapphire Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	New England Ivy Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	Archival Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad	Always Grateful
Believe in Christmas	5 1/2" X 4 1/4" Colonial White Cards and Envelopes, Value Pack	Craft Heater	Versamark Ink Pad
Ranger Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder	Round Sponge

InLinkz.com

My Favorite Artfully Sent Adhesive

These are hands down my favorite adhesive to use for our Close to My Heart Cricut Artbooking and Artfully Sent overlays and cut images.  In the video below, Kristine will show you some other uses for these glue pens.  What I like about this glue is that for the Artfully Sent cut images, I can rub the glue pen over the piece quickly and  adhere the piece down permanently and easily before it dries.  The edge of the paper piece is held down well and it stays.  Love it!!!

Just be sure and place your piece on scrap paper and then apply the adhesive because otherwise you will have a sticky work surface.  Now go check out the very short video below.  You won't be sorry!

Bonding Memories Glue

Bonding Memories Glue Pen

InLinkz.com

Tutorial on How to Use Flip Flaps

One of the most popular products at my crops is our Flip Flaps.  They come in all different sizes and allow you to add extra pictures to your layouts instead of having to add pages.  One of my sister Close to My Heart Consultants, Lynn Como, made this video showing how she uses Flip Flaps in her scrapbooks.



And did you know that Flip Flaps can be used in Mini Albums and to even make cards?  I have got to show you a card that I made using a Flip Flap.

A very special one-of-a-kind card!  My granddaughter has already "called" this card.

Memory Protectors Flip Flaps 12" Assortment

4" X 6" Memory Protectors Flip Flaps

Memory Protectors Flip Flaps Small Assortment

Memory Protectors 6" X 6" Flip Flaps

InLinkz.com

Artwork with an Attitude Featuring Flip Flaps

Welcome to the Stampers with an Attitude Artwork with an Attitude Featuring Flip Flaps Blog Hop.  This month I am following  Sheila Bennett.  Our blog hop is a circular hop.  You just click on the link to the next blog on the bottom of this post and go visit the next blog.  If you get lost, I have all of the participating blogs near the bottom of my post.  Hope you enjoy seeing what our team has made for you.

This month our Stampers With an Attitude is  featuring artwork using the Close to My Heart Flip Flaps.  Flip flaps are wonderful inventions where you can add tons of extra pictures to each of your scrapbook layouts. I decided to use the 4" x 6" Flip Flaps (Z4114).   

If you know me or follow my blog, you will know that one of these days I am going to bring out all of my pictures and get them on scrapbook pages.  But not today.  I live to make cards and other types of art.  I really just like the creative process.  Playing with art relaxes me and is a form of meditation.

So, now to the flip flaps.  I wanted to do something different.  Here is what I came up with.

A flip flap card!  I thought of this while I was watching Turbo with my grandkids.  Why not make a card that can open up to extra pages using a flip flap?  Here's the card with the flip flap open.

See how it opens up to two more pages?  Gives the card a bit more personality doesn't it?  Here's the inside of the card as well.



You just have to decorate the inside of your cards!  It takes a little bit of time but the card really has a WOW factor.

Want to find out how I made this card?  I used the CTMH Babycakes Paper Pack (X7173B) and the Babycakes My Stickease (X7173C).

My card is 5" x 7" so I cut a piece of Sunset cardstock 10" x 7" and folded it in half to make the card base.  I added the cute brown scallops from the Stickease to the sides of the front.  The top and bottom strip is a portion of the zip strip that comes with this paper pack.

I used a little smaller than 4" x 6" paper as the base for the front and back of the panel in the flip flap.  With the added matting and stickease, I wanted to leave a little extra room to accommodate the layers.  I cut the edges of the flip flap where the adhesive is so that it would not show on the card when it is closed.  I wanted the adhesive to be beneath the panel that is placed over it and this panel overlaps the scalloped stickease that is already adhered to the cardstock.  I hope that makes sense.

Look hard.  Can you see the adhesive? It is only attached to the card base and not the stickease.  Now the panel lying to the left of the picture will fill over the adhesive and hide it.  That is how I wanted it to look.  It makes the card look cleaner to me.

Now, hop on over to our next Blog hopper, the very talented, Catherine Nowak and see what she has made for you to see!

Supplies Used
CTMH Babycakes Paper Pack (X7173B) 
Babycakes My Stickease (X7173C)
4" x 6" Flip Flaps (Z4114)
Joyful Birthday Stamp Set (B1419)
Framework Alphabet Stamp Set (E1027)
Mini-Medley Accents - Rosewood (Z1857)
Color Ready Garden Wooden Shapes (Z1718)
Sparkles Assortment, Brown and Tan (Z1753)
Sunset Stamp Pad (Z2191)
Chocolate Stamp Pad (Z2111)
Chocolate Ribbon (Retired)

If you get lost, here are the links to our participating blog hoppers.

1. LaJeania Hicks ~ http://scraptilyoudrop.blogspot.com/
2. Sheila Bennett ~ http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com
3. Melinda Everitt ~ http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com
4. Catherine Nowak ~ http://catscrapbooking.com
5. Jen Patrick- http://roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com
6. Di Crawford ~ http://scrapwithdi.blogspot.com
7. Pamela O'Connor ~ http://reflectionsofmyartandsoul.com/blog
8. Hilary Reynolds~ http://stampcraftyreader.blogspot.com
9. Barbi Kelley ~ http://barbispapercreations.blogspot.com

See something you like?  Well I would love it if you would head on over to  my website and see what Close to My Heart has to offer!  I am sure that you will love our products as much as I do.

H2H Goes Au Naturale

Welcome to this week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart Challenges.  We only have one day left in September so this is actually our first October Challenge!  Our challenge this week is called Au Naturale.  The Design Team had some fun with this challenge discussing what it entailed but suffice to say that what you wear when you stamp is up to you!  LOL

For our challenge this week, use either all neutral colors or something from nature. 

I just wasn't in the mood to use neutral colors.  So that left me something from nature.  I am loving all of the gorgeous landscape stamps that Close to My Heart is offering so I chose the Stamp Set from the Frosted Cardmaking Workshop on the Go (G1063).


I was also in the mood to play.  Sometimes I am in the mood to "Get the Job Done" and sometime I want to get lost in the creative process.  I had seen a simple card using a tree stamp and something called the masking tape technique and I was intrigued.  Here is the card I am talking about.

Well, as I said, I was intrigued and I was in the mood to play.  This could either turn out really good or really bad.  LOL  But either way it would be fun for me.  I went in search of masking tape.  I apparently do not own any, but I did find painter's tape and scotch tape so I grabbed them both.  I knew that I wanted to try and make a Fall/Winter scene so I grabbed Inks that I thought would work and set down to create. I did not have any glossy cardstock, as the original blogger had listed that I needed so I used White Daisy Cardstock.

I started with the painter's tape since it is closer to masking tape.  With the Masking Tape Technique, you pull off a piece of tape about 2 inches bigger than the width of the card so that you will have room to hold it. Prepare to get inky!  Now you rub, tap, or just push the sticky side of your tape onto the ink pad, allowing the ink to get onto the tape.  Then you take the tape and apply it gently to your cardstock.  Don't try to adhere it because all you want to do is use the tape to apply the ink.  You want the tape to easily come off the cardstock without ripping it.

When you change colors, you get a new piece of tape.  As I said, I just wanted to play with it at first and see if it would work.  Here is my first try.  I watermarked it so that no one would steal it.  LOL!

For some reason, I continued on, but I changed color selection.  Wow does Sorbet come out dark!  I also decided to change tape and went to Scotch tape.  Here is my second try, also watermarked.  You know, you have to be careful in cyberspace!

This was beginning to show promise,  but how do I get rid of all of the lines?  Not how I pictured it.

I did like the Scotch tape better because I could see where the ink was.  Long ago I took a brayering class from Michelle Zindorf.  She taught us to use multiple shades of the same colors to build our scenes.  Plus she taught us to not be afraid of adding additional layers of ink.  So off I went to my handy dandy ink tower.

I was having a ball!  My 10 year old grandson came in, looked at what I was doing, and walked off shaking his head.  I was deep in the creative process.  I started with the ground and applied layers and layers of Champagne (ink not the drink), Cashmere, and a little bit of Saddle.  Then I added Sweet Leaf and Olive right above that.  My ground was complete!

Forgive me, but I needed some lighter colors for my sky so I raided some of my retired inks.  I googled Winter sky and looked for images to inspire me. I just love the colors of a crisp fall/winter sky!  Colors used were Indian Corn Blue, Sky, Heavenly Blue (retired), a tiny bit of Crystal Blue, Baby Pink (retired), Blush, Creme Brulee, Buttercup, and Gypsy.

Here is my card.

You ask how I got rid of the tape lines?  By repeatedly applying more ink and filling it in.  Don't be afraid of adding more and more ink.  Also don't panic if it looks dark because as the ink dries, it lightens up.  Plus overlap, overlap, overlap.  The ink fills in an covers the lines. The texture comes from the way the ink beads up on the tape.  I did not throw the tape away after use.  I stuck it to my table and designated them as blue. green, brown, pink, purple and yellow and reused them until I was finished with the card.

I love, love, love this card and this is my new favorite technique.  After I finished the background, I stamped the trees using a rock and roll technique.  I used Sweet Leaf, Olive and New England Ivy Inks.  The sentiment is stamped a bit low to cover an ink mark from my rock and roll stamping of the trees, but I am okay with that.  This sentiment comes from Happy Autumn (D1550). The edges are inked with Black Pigment Ink and placed on Black cardstock to showcase it.  Finished off with a Creme Brulee mat and a sky blue card base.

And here is the inside of the card, decorated because you just cannot have a naked card!

So now it is your turn!  Please show us your artwork with your favorite things.  I cannot wait to see what you make!  After you finish your artwork please go to  www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com and post a link to your project.  I cannot wait to see what you make!

Here are a few rules:  

*Our challenges are open to everyone!
*To enter, follow the challenge of the week and post your results to your personal blog or other online gallery.
*Be sure to go here and direct link to your challenge post so we can see your artwork!

*In order to enter a challenge, you must use Close To My Heart products but your project does not have to be 100% CTMH.
*If you use something from another company, please consider including details in your project's description.
* You MUST mention H2H challenges in your blog post (and a link back to us would be appreciated).
*Spread the word about our challenge blog by including our badge on your blog.

* I love to leave comments on our participants' blog posts, but word verification slows me down, so please turn yours off so that I can leave you some love on your blog!
*Most importantly, have fun creating - the Close To My Heart way!
Note: Any entries not following the above rules are subject to having their link removed.

I am entering this card into the Keep It Simple Challenge at 356 Cards and the Great Outdoor Challenge with Creative Corner Challenges.

Video Using Cricut Craft Room with Close to My Heart

First of all I have to say that I love my Gypsy.  Once I started using the Cricut, I discovered that I could not do what I wanted to do with it and that I needed the Gypsy.  I love it and have never looked back.  Until now.

There is a free program out there called the Cricut Craft Room.  It is free and looks pretty easy to use.  I have my fingers crossed that it will work on my iPad 2.  With the Cricut Craft Room, it looks like I can use it to do what I have been doing with my Gypsy and if I can use my iPad 2, I can actually see it better to do it since the screen on my Gypsy is pretty small.  I will report back here after I have played with it a bit.

So watch this video with the beautiful Monica Wilhongi and see if the Cricut Craft Room is as exciting to you as it is to me!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Emboss Resist Tommy Father's Day Card

Good morning everyone!  I just love doing Blog Hops.  I thrive with a deadline!

Welcome to the Close to My Heart Technique Blog Hop.  Our hop is a circular hop.  You can start anywhere in the hop and just click on the link at the bottom of our post.  This will take you to the next hopper and eventually you get back to me.

The hopper in front of me is Penny.  This month's technique is Emboss Resist - one of my absolutely favorite techniques.  My trusty embossing gun has been lonely lately.  So I grabbed it off the shelf along with my Versamark pad and my handy dandy brayer and set to work.

First, using clear embossing powder, the Versamarkpad, and the powerful CTMH Tommy Scrapbooking WOTG Stamp Set, I stamped the word image onto White Daisy Cardstock.

The words are now clear, but I managed to get the light to shine off of them so that you can faintly see them. The embossing gun causes the paper to kind of warp but my adhesive will straighten that out when I put it on the card.

The next step is to apply ink.  I used my brayer and CTMH Outdoor Denim Ink and applied a lot of ink.

Check out that difference!  Can you see how the embossed letters are still white even though the ink has been absorbed by the unembossed paper?  Isn't that cool? The embossing keeps the paper white and the ink does not soak in.

The next step is to take a paper towel and wipe off the embossed words.  The top part of the cardstock shows where I have already wiped off the ink.  The bottom half still needs to be wiped off.  The ink just comes right off.  Amazing, huh?

Now the embossed resist panel is ready to use in my card.  I used the CTMH Tommy Paper Pack and added some CTMH Artisan Brads.  I also used the CTMH Tommy Assortment - see the lifesaver and the flag.  Aren't those cute?  I am going to use this card for my husband's Father's Day Card.  This has been a stressful year and I think that he will like this card.

Once again, thank you for visiting my blog.  The next blog on this hop belongs to Debi.  Click on her link and go check out what she has done with this fun technique.  See you soon!

I am entering this card in the Dream Valley Challenge #59 - Father's Day/Male Challenge
and the 2 Sisters Challenge #148 - Just for Dad
and the Crafter's Cafe Blog Challenge #17 - Father's or For a Male

Like what you see?  I would love for you to visit my website and purchase some of our great products.